How to Host the Best Fantasy Draft Possible

How to Host the Best Fantasy Draft Possible

The offseason is long and can sometimes feel like forever but what get’s us through is the long awaited fantasy draft. The nonstop preparation with listening to podcasts, reading rankings, and staying up to date with all NFL information just to get ready to dominate your draft. It’s a special occurrence that only comes once a year with your league, and it must be treated as so.

Not all leagues have the ability to get together to draft in person and this might cause them to move more to an online format. However, for those who have the luxury of getting together, it’s important that the event is hosted in the manner that best fits the league mates. It should be something that is looked forward to each and every year, so here are some tips for hosting the best fantasy football draft.

Bringing the League Trophy

Most leagues nowadays will have a league trophy that is in the previous winner’s possession. Well – bring it to the draft! It seems simple but it is a great center piece. Not only will the trophy capture your league-mates attention, it will help garner everyone’s focus on achieving the highest honor. They all want to bring that thing home and showcase it. Plus, the previous champ can have some fun and good chances to get some smack talk in there.

I just believe it’s a good thing to ensure league focus and enthusiasm as the draft is underway. Everyone will be literally “keeping their eye on the prize”.

Food At All Times

This one almost seems self-explanatory but it is essential. When everyone is getting ready to draft, you don’t want them to be on an empty stomach! A good tip would be to encourage every member to bring a dish to pass so that there will be an abundance. It always adds a good quality to an in person draft and once again may be another possibility to smack talk another member’s choice of food.

Hey, depending on what food you bring, it may even tire some people out. Think wisely about that one. Play to your advantage.

Getting a Draft Board

This is probably the most important piece of the puzzle. It seems like an obvious one but there are multiple ways to do this. I prefer the route of going online and purchasing a huge paper draft board that come’s with stickers that are color coded. It lays everything out real nice in front of everyone’s eyes. Personally, I love that feeling of going up to submit a pick and looking back to see the fear in everyone’s eyes.

Other ways that I’ve heard of people doing this are by starting a google doc’s excel sheet where instead of having to get up, you can do it right from your computer. This is a good option when you have the one or two people who can’t physically be there for the draft. It will keep them up to date while the draft is ongoing.

Beer

Ahhh – another essential. This one might not need as much explaining but depending on your league, grabbing some brews is a must. It’s draft day! You have to go out and get your favorite to show off to the other league mates. I preferably don’t like when the host has to bring the majority because well you might get stuck with their favorite instead of yours. Saddle up a small cooler, fill it with ice and brew of choice and go dominate your draft.

Take a “Draftcation”

Yes, the draftcation is a real thing. For those of you who have not heard of what it is, it’s pretty easy to understand. It’s just a vacation for your league’s fantasy draft. Either in Vegas, the beach, or any fun place that your league can think of, it will usually involve most if not all of your members. It’s something that will be memorable! I’ve even heard of some leagues that do it every year. This option can get to be quite pricey so when making decisions, I recommend doing it collectively so that everyone’s voice is heard and respected.

Every league is unique in its own way and these are just some minor suggestions that should not be forgotten. Understanding the friendship between your league will allow you to get very creative but these are just some basic suggestions that can be universal towards any league. The draft is often considered one of the many highlights in your fantasy football season so it is appropriate to treat it as such.

Jacob Hamilton

Jake Hamilton is a senior at SUNY Geneseo where he is pursuing a degree in Business Administration. He has commissioned a very successful and fun fantasy league for the last seven years. His friends think he has an addiction to mock drafts and it's true. Recently, Jake finished up a 4-month internship with the Buffalo Bills where he contributed to their team blog and interviewed multiple players. Jake always enjoys good fantasy conversation so, feel free to reach out to him at anytime.

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